Summer has officially begun. After a long day and the Texas heat what better way to quench your thirst than with a martini! The creation of the martini has a much debated past.

Some claim that the drink was derived in the early 1900s from the martinez --a popular drink of the time made from vermouth, orange bitters and maraschino liqueur. Others believe that the martini was named after Martini and Rossi vermouth.

Regardless of its origins, the classic recipe calls for 1 ounce of dry vermouth and 4 ounces of gin, shaken, not stirred (the way that James Bond likes it). Strain the ingredients into chilled cocktail glass, garnish with an olive and enjoy.

Be creative and garnish with blue cheese, jalapeño or almond stuffed olives. Friends we know who have a penchant for the martini, keep two small eye dropper bottles of vermouth and sambuca chilled in the fridge. They keep their favorite vodka in the freezer along with chilled martini glasses. Squeeze a drop of vermouth and a drop of sambuca in to the frosty martini glass, followed by a liberal pour of nearly frozen vodka, garnish with a lemon twist! No shaking or stirring, just pouring up something divine!

This past Friday, June 19 was National Martini Day --a day which gives us an excuse to break out of the ordinary and try something new. However, much like champagne we think just about any day is okay for an ice cold martini or glass of bubbly. So pull out the shaker -- and get to pouring.

Below we've shared the simple recipe for a Saketini. There's something about the dry sweetness of the sake and the crisp refreshing nose and flavor of cucumber. We hope you enjoy!

Mastering Summer Cocktails. Learn about the ingenious history of the classic Moscow Mule. Back in the '40s, two guys named John and Jack had a problem: they had vodka and they had ginger beer, but they didn't have a whole lot of customers. Story/Photo/Video Credits: Bespoke Post